The present invention relates to a method for controlling an adjusting movement of a power-operated adjustable vehicle closing element, such as a vehicle side door or a vehicle liftgate, and to a control system.
For triggering an adjusting movement of a power-operated, in particular motor-driven adjustable vehicle closing element, it is known to detect operating events in a contactless manner by means of at least one sensor element of a sensor device provided at the vehicle, which originate from a movement of an (authorized) user. For this purpose, a sensor element comprises for example a proximity sensor by which a kick movement of a person can be detected and this can possibly be assessed as an operating event in order to initiate a motor-driven adjustment of the vehicle closing element.
For the detection of an operating event in the form of a kick movement, which for example is carried out in the region of a bumper of the vehicle, a course of measurement values detected (continuously or discretely) by the sensor device in a detection time interval is evaluated. When it can then be detected by means of an evaluation logic of an electronic control device with reference to a sequence of a plurality of measurement values by comparison with stored reference and/or threshold values that the person has carried out the movement to be assessed as an operating event in the detection area, the adjustment of the vehicle closing element is effected.
The actual adjustment of the vehicle closing element usually is preceded by the generation and the sending of at least one trigger signal that triggers at least one operation preceding the adjustment of the vehicle closing element. Via a trigger signal for example after the detection of an operating event the execution of an authentication process can be triggered, in which the presence of a valid identification means in the vicinity of the vehicle is checked. Only when both an operating event has been detected and a valid identification means is present in the vicinity of the vehicle and hence both conditions are cumulatively fulfilled is an adjustment of the vehicle closing element triggered. For adjusting the vehicle closing element a (further) trigger signal then is sent to a drive in order to activate the same. By means of this further trigger signal or by means of a preceding trigger signal a lock that locks the vehicle closing element in a closed position can also be actuated.
In control methods implemented in practice so far, the respective necessary trigger signals for the operations preceding the actual adjustment of the vehicle closing element, without the execution of which an adjustment of the vehicle closing element does not occur, are generated and sent one after the other and only after the evaluation as to whether an operating event is present. Correspondingly, a certain time passes after the movements carried out by the person, until an adjustment of the vehicle closing element actually is made or until the detection of a valid operating event is signaled to the user by corresponding preceding operations. Therefore, a person often performs the movement in the detection area already for a second time, assuming that the first movement has not been detected. This possibly results in an undesired functional behavior and has a negative effect on the operating comfort and the user satisfaction.
In DE 10 2010 060 364 A1 it is proposed already at least indiscriminately that an authentication process can be effected before, during or after the definition of an operating event, wherein ultimately the adjustment of the vehicle closing element only is effected if both a positive authentication and a positive detection of an operating event are present. DE 10 2010 060 364 A1 does not indicate at what time, on what basis and in particular by means of what signal the authentication process is triggered.